Safety toy torpedo



May 8, 1928.

- K. KOHN SAFETY TOY TORPEDO Filed March 5. 1926 gvwentoz face. v

Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED STAT xoBY norm, on NEW YORK; N. Y..-

SAFETY TOY TQBPED.

'Appiicatimi'iiied Maron 5,1926. serial 1vo. `92,`572.

This invention relates to torpedoes fand more particularly to toy torpedoes adapted to be exploded by impact.

It is a general object of the present inven.n

tion to providea novel and improved type of toy torpedo.

More particularly it is an object oftheV presentinvention to provide a novel and viin,-

proved toyitorpedo which is not adapted to explode except upon intentional and violent impact of theitorpedo against a hard sur A further object of this invention consists V in the provision of a toy torpedo provided with a frangible yexplosive,container which is completely surrounded and enclosed by a resilient gastight covering which adheres to tlie outer'surface of the casing. A

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision of a toy torpedo Which I is Waterproof and in which the explosive compound cannot be abraded or subjected to percussion Without the actual fracturmg ot a portion of the container or casing.

Another and further object of the present` invention consists in the provision of a container for the explosive compound of a toy torpedo7 which lcontainer has interior Walls opposing and spaced apart and covered with an abrasive, certain of said Walls being adapted to come into contact with each other upon the fracturing of part-s of the con-V tainer. e e f Other and further obJects of this inven-j tion will be more apparent to those skilled in the artby a consideration of the accom-` i panying drawing and following specification wherein are disclosed several exemplary modifications thereof with Vthe understanding, however, that various changes may be' made therein by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In said drawing:

V0E `and the c ap'to the type oftorp'edo;

. Fig. l is elevation of a spherieal type Fig. 2 is a section taken in a plane through thecenter ofthe torpedo Vshown in Figure vl andaxially of the recess tliereing'v i' y Fig. 3 is a plan view `of the `tor'pedowithf the outer covering or enclo sing`c'asing `l eft container removed g] Figs ."k4,- 5- and 6 are to Figures 1;2and'3biit-'of a cylind ricall Fig. 7 discloses ya plan modification disclosed in' Figureszl,` 2 and 3; Fig. 8 is a perspective View of-:the con-' vno viewseorrespondiiig v65 and elevati@ of the j container closure cap adapted'for vuse int-he i tainer closure cap adapted for u`se"` vvith Fifgf kares/i, 5 and. 6;

Fig. 9 is" aftransverse section taken be` `tween'. thetends of; the torpedo .disclosedV in Figure L at the instant'of impacting' the same Vagainst ahar'd surface and showing fracturesin the explosive` container i Y Fig l() isa central vertical section through a. modified type ofcylin'dricaltorpedo;

Fig. 11- is atransversejsection.of the same on line llfllpof Figure 10; and e I Figiy 12 lis aview similar to Figure v1l of another formof torpedo.'` In thecommon'type of toyjtorp'edo as'jnow manufactured for' use on 4th 'offJuly and' similar festiveoccasions7 itis usual to forma cylindrical or other suitably shapedk shell creasing of paper,4 cardboard orl the like andy to place in this 'shell theexplosiv'e compos'i tion. The usual explosivefor toy'torpedo'es consists of an intimate mechanica-l mixture ofpovvdered chlorate `of. potash,' antimony and sulphur in varyv proportions, depending upon theV desired sensitivity of the explosive. In' addition the shell ispartially or complete- 1y lilled with Whatfmay be termedthe detoe nating elementsl -usually smallk .particles of gravel or other sharp granular The shell is then sealed up by a suitable"ina-L terial and is adapted to be exploded by being thrown' against a hard object, such as the sidewalk. 2 The'impac't of the torpedo against thehard surface causes abrasive action between. the particles'of gravel and between these particles and the `walls of the casing, and since in thefprocess of `manufacture the torpedoes are tumbled, theV povvdered'compoundg'is s cattered Vthrough the interstices between the detonating elements, vit'fisV thus subject to friction,with its resulting heat,

material.l l

`cup for the,l explosive and percussion which causes theV compound to explode.r The sudden generation ofy gases disrupts the casing, producing aloud report.

` The present invention has for its object the provision of a torpedowhichy will overcome substantially all of ythe hazards at-l tendant upon the manufacture, transportation and storing of torpedoes regardless of the quantity of explosive fmaterial used or the carelessness in handling. Before the torpedocan be exploded, it must receive an impact suficientlyv hard to actually break or destroythe container or casing in which the explosive is confined. 'lorpedoes constructed according to the present invention` have beenprepeatedly dropped on hard surfaces and thrown into the air and allowed to fall on sidewalksand the like'without ex? plosion. Explosion only results upon throwing the torpedo with great force against a hard surface.

The most important element in the torpedo kis the container for the -explosive material. Whileit is not necessary, I prefer to use, for the purpose of constructing this container, the pitch mastic composition as describedin my-co-pending United Statesapplication Serial No. 45,647, filed July 23,

1925.y A container formed of such material may be readily molded into any suitable form, is waterproof, andupon explosion breaks into small particles which are insufficient in size and weight to Abe thrown any appreciable distance by the forcezof the explosion or to cause any injury to bystanders. The pitch cups, casings or containers may be molded as described in the above mentioned application or in any other suitable manner to produce lthe-form of container, illustrated in the accompanying drawing. W'hereas in thev previous vapplication one of the yobjectsto be attained was to provide a container or which `would .not break upon .the impact resulting in explosion but whiclrwould later break as a result of explosion, this invention contemplates the provision of al ,container for the explosive which will break upon the necessary impact to cause explosion.

*.Various forms of containers may be made, but in the present application but two will be described, a spherical onefand a cylin-` drical one. Y

Referring to Figs. 1, Q1 and 3, there is disclosed at 15 a container formed ofthe aforementioned pitch mastic or Vother suitablel composition. It is 'generally of spherical shape and provided on its exterior with a plurality .of chordal slots or grooves 16 lying in planes which intersect along one axis of thesphere, At'one end .of the previously mentionedaxis a circular depression 17 is provided having a diameter slightly less than the distance between the bottoms of opposite grooves 16. Leading from this depression 17 into the interior of the container are a plurality of connecting grooves or channels 1S likewise lying in planes intersecting on the aforementioned axis. These grooves/are'. shown as co-planar with the exterior grooves although this is not necessaryxWThe grooves all intersect each 'other along the axis of the sphere and as shown in Fig. 3 form a recess or compartment for the explosive compound which is cruciformed in cross-section and closed at one end. The grooves 18 extend tonear the wall of the sphere opposite the depression 17- leavingbut athin wall 19 and they extendrto within a short distanceofthe bottoms of the groovesrl leaving the thin parallel walls 20 separat-ing the interior and exterior grooves.V The .exterior grooves are `tapered and widerat'v their tops than at their bottoms. They may likewise .be tapered from one end to the other for Vease in drawing` themfrom a mold if this is found necessary. It will be seen that the above construction provides a spherical "container which is divided into sectors held together only bythe thin walls 2() and the'thin bottom wall 19 so that upon slightfimpact these thin walls may be broken, separating the sectors for a purpose to be hereinafter described. In con'imercial forms of the torpedo the walls QO'are approximately one thirty-second foremost among which is the size of the torpedo.

Y The walls of the slots 1S are vcovered with an abrasive material Q1 such as sand, emory,

walls orthe walls heated to soften the pitch and the abrasivev applied thereto. Other means may be used Vfor applying the abr; sive, such as causing it to adhere t-o the walls ofthe slot at the time of molding or otherwise forming the container. The explosive composition 22 .of the type previously described is then introduced into the recess formed by the slots 1S and a sealor cap 23, shown in Figure 7, applied in the recess 1T torretain the explosive in position. This capor seal may be cemented in place or may be applied hot and thus caused to adhere to the material of the container.

' After thus beingsealed up, the container may be dipped in or otherwise coveredwith any suitable gas confining material 24 which entirely surrounds the same and serves as a medium to lconfine the gaswhile it is expanding after explosion and to afterward be burst by the force of the explosion. X

of an inch thick although this i thickness is dependent upon several factors,

space between. these Walls. completely filled with explosive compound,y

it vwill be found tliatnupon the tumbling operation attendant upon the lnianufaeture ot' the torpedoes tlieimpalpable powde forining the explosive will be thoroughly spread over the surface of all of the'granules of abrasive material so that upon the cracking Y ofthe Walls Q0 and 'the bottom Wall 19 anyY I grec of iii) slight movement of the `thus separated seetors of the container will cause the abrasive covered WallslS to contact With each other and detonate the explosive material between them.

The complete and intimate contact betiveen the abrasive particles and ther oXplosive compound is a inost important feature of the invention for its results in a. highdes ei'qciency, substai'itiallyevery toipedo exploding upon sufficient' impact.

lt is important, in order to maintain the torpedoes as safe as possible, to use an eX- plosive of as low a. degree of sensitivity as possible and to increase the probabilityof.

explosion by the application of sullcient. heat and abrasion at the time of impact. In the eonin'ion-y types of torpedoes as new made, this is causedby' the gr vel, thelrineticene orgy of the impact being transformed into heatA energy and this heat energy,

ln the present torpedo :the abrasive elements are stationary and accidental explo'- sion. therefore cannot resultvfor theinovenient of the impalpable explosive particles against the abrasive duringl manufacture and shipping. cannot cause sufficient .heat to explode the compound and it has been conclusively proven by actual experiments that, regardless of hoiv vigorously the torpedo is shaken or agitated, even Whenl usingl an eX- plosive of :il higher degree of sensitivity than could be used commercially, no explosion will take place. This iseof particular value when .it is considered that toy torpedoes are mainly used by children who cannot always be taught the proper respect for explosives.

The exterior covering or casing 24 serves to confine momentarily the gases of theexplosion and allow them to reach Va sufficient Y be formed -of The slots being.

Y tlexible iny order although slight, is sufficient to raisetlie temperature Y explosive compound 22. i

the separate elements of the explosive compound, i...e.v; e chloride ofA are not explosive, `and yfor Ysafety in,` manufacture these;

. spoon and pressure to cau-se casing isV finally ruptured. Thercasing may glue or Vlike 'material Which-,1s suitably ivaterproofed v y' the "explosive but to prevent the. torpedoes from stickingtogether. l/Vood libre, partiiV a loud report vWhen this..

not only1 to .protectl cles` ofpaper, coloring,material, etc., may be incorporated in the niatei'ialofthe outer I casing vto givel it a decorative feature to the torpedo. These added strength and to. lendV colors may welly be red, White and blue since Y.

the torpedoes are most 'often used on patrie ctie occasions.. The outer covering mustbe that it Will cient deformation to cause breaking of the interior container While it remains intact it-L desirable that vthis cover? self. It is highly ing shall have the necessary quality to allow it to adhere toisoine extent to' the outer sur-1V This feature adds lto Athe-safety ofthe torpedoboth in manufac-v t'aceofthe container.

turing and inshipping, so that minor shocks or pressures suflicie'ntlyl great to cause cracking'ofthe vvalls 2() willnot allow the sectors ofthe eontainerto move together and cause explosion by abrading'. the explosive com' pound 'between'the Walls Aof the slots 18.fl

This adhesion, however7 will inot vbe kSulliciently great to prevent intentionall eXplo' sion of the torpedo upon asufticiently hard impact. .Experiments have proven that animal glue to Whielia small quantity of Aformaldehyde-has been added-to render the glueV `Waterproof .is afsatisfactory material for the above-purpose I j In et, 5 and 6 are disclosed -alcylindrical. form of torpedo. Its essentially vis not slotted, extending to Within a the interior slots l S and Athe bottom wall- 19 being of aboutthe cent the slots. rlf'he upperreeess 17 ed to receive y shown in tainer is :covered by an exterior as" in tliej previously described modification. The walls .of the slots 18. are'similarly coated vvith abrasiveV 2l and the lf handled carefully potash, aiitiinony and sulphur,

elementsv are separately introduced into .each torpedo.

ment of the,con'ipound'in the forni of an inipalpable'powder `from a largecontainer, with an instrument resembling a small dumping it' intol the torpedoes be seen that thek his is done by dipping each =ele-' construction isy i the same asthe torpedo disclosed Yin Figs. 11, 2 and 3 but itwill exterior cylindrical Wall of the explosive vrcontainer 1,5

ior

very short rdis- .tance of the outer surface of the cylinder recess filled with' individually, or in groups by a multiple instrument. f, lnlorder to render it'easier .to

' which they have struck.

ously described.

introduce the powder, the torpedo may take the form disclosed inFigs. 10 and 11, Which resembles Figs. 4, 5 and 6 vvith the exception of the provision of a substantially semispherical recess 25 just below the closure cap 23 which acts like a tunnel communicating With the slotsv 1S which have the abrasive n pocket is sutlic'ieutly large to receive the necessary covered'walls. This recess or ingredients ot the explosive, each ot which is shoivir individually at 26, 2,7 and 28 in Fig. 10, having become compacted into soft lumps by the lilling process. pedoes are completed they are tumbled in a suitable rotating drum which causes the elements of explosive compound to be thoroughly mixed and' completely yspread over the surfaces of vthe abrasive as previ- The recess vor pocket does not prevent explosion of the torpedoes even itthey should be stored in a reversed position or strike inthis position when thrown,

tor a sutticient quantity of the explosive Willalways adhere to the yabrasive and be held in the interstices betweenV the granulesthereot` to thus insure an explosion when the torpedo is impacted.

'Reference to Fig. 9 Will disclose the con-V dition at the moment of impacting a torpedo of the type disclosed in Figs. 4, 5' and 6 against a hard surface 30. The torpedo' has been indicated as striking upon its side but it has `been conclusively demonstrated that the torpedoes vwill explode no matter ativhat angle they strike a hardsurface. This has been demonstrated by recovering fragments ot' exploded torpedoes which Vindicate by markson their surfaces the exactangle Vat Tn Fig. 9 the cracks 29 in the thinivalls 20 show how the casing or explosive 'container' has been broken into four sectors which have moved invvardfto- Wardeach other sutticiently to cause contact between the abrasive on opposite vvalls ot the slots 18 and thus explode the compound containedbetivcen them. The outer casing 24 is shoivn as unbroken -for it will be recalled that it 4is suiiiciently resilient'V to undergo considerable distortion before cracking. l

It is extremely important that the Walls ot the torpedo which are, intended to be broken upon' impact be thin enough to insure cleavage at these points only, so as to thus obtain a clean break Without dust or small particles whichv might mix with the explosive composition and eitherprevent an explosion or so impair the violence thereof as to render'the torpedoes commercially impracticable. The breaking of the thin Walls 19 and20 or 19 and 20 does not cause Aany appreciable dust as the angles o intersection ol the Walls ,ot the slots 18 are sutliciently sharp to give maximum cleavage With an almost entire absence ot dust. The :tactthat i dust is absent has been established by successlVhen the tor- Y Vsui-'tace these pieces are ot'y a ul experimentsusing an explosive of. so low a degree ot sensitivity as to prevent its eX- plosion ivereit to nated. Y Y

The introduction of the abrasive on the Walls ot the slots 18y sonarroivsl them that the amountl ot movement between the separated sectors to cause them to` come together upon impact need be but slight. ture is of great importance`r tor the opposing walls thus contact so quickly as to secure the benetits ot all ot the torce ot explosion and thus cause maximum friction andimpact between the opposing and contacting abrasive ivalls, thus creating a ot heat and permitting the use of an explosive having low sensitivity and thus a high safety factor. By causing the container to break -in but a small number o reces upon the actual impact against a hard maximum more effectively create tric'- tion upon their contacting' with each other. This results in an advantageous condition lwhich allows the use ot a smaller amount Ot explosive in the present type ot torpedo than weight and thus Vcan be used in most ot the grat/*el types in order to secure the same volume ot' sound and at the same time a larger percentage. o pertect explosions.

ln the spherical type ot torpedo the taper-v walls ot the slots 1S3 are quite close-together so that on the exterior of the casing -causes the cracking of the thin separating Walls 2()a with the result that at least-two Walls of the slots 183 vvillvcome into Contact with each other with plosive 223 to bc detonated. The elimination ot the abrasive material considerably cheapens the manufacturing cost 'of the torpedo and decreases the time necessary to make each one.

To recapitulate, ive lind that the present improved type ot torpedo is, in the tirs't place, absolutely sate; that is, it cannot be exploded xcept upon intentional and violent impact, due to the tact that all the percussion means are stationary until the explosive container is actually disrupted to This 'leadisclosed a torpedo an impact in any directionA sufficient torce toicause the exbe evenslightly contamifor removing the container'.

inthis tigure,the opposing alloiviiormally separated portions thereof to some into engagement with each other. Second, a'lesser be usedto obtain the same violence of explosion.` Third, substantially eflicieiicy, by which is meant that the percentage of failures, that is, torpedoes .failing to; explode upon sufiicient' impact, is Valmost Zero, due not only to the largenumber'of abrasive particles but to the weight of the sections to which they are secured and to the vsmall dis-` tance through which these sections must move. F ourth,`a. toipedo Vhaving a minimum number of parts coinineiisuiate with` reliable opera-tion; Fifth, ease of manufacture. Sixth, waterproof construction insuring the explosive compound against dainpness; and

seventh,

ance. Y Y, b f.

Having thus described the invention what VYa pleasing and attractive appearis claimed as new and desired `to be secured by Letters Patent is: Y

l. An explosive container for a toy torpedo having opposing interior surfaces close together and comprising. cooperating friction means. c

2. -An explosive container for a toyV torpedo having a closed compartment, facing surface within said compartment, said surfacesliaving abrasive thereon.

An explosive container for a toy torpedo having interior slots and exterior indentatioiis forming thin frangible Walls therebetween.

et. A container for explosive for a. toy tor-v pedo comprising a frangible mass having a narrow recess therein and a. chamber kcommunicating' with said recess, said chambeil and recess being adapted to receive an .ex`- I surfaces being adapted for engagement withl each other to ignite said explosive upon rupture of the mass.

7. An explosive container for a toy torpe- ,i

do having opposing interior walls relatively close together compared with the dimensions of said torpedo, said Walls being abrasive to ignite the explosive.

8. An explosive container for a toy torpedo having opposing interior Walls one of said walls being coated with an abras-ive.

9. A moulded container for a toy torpequantity of explosive may y upon the .contacting closing said container and do having a narrow interior groove, the. fY

Walls of which are abrasive and adapted kto.

cooperate With eachother;

l0. A y container andan explosive therein, and means ,forV

tainervvith each 'otheizf` Y 1l. A safety toytorped'o comprising a-container and an explosive therein, .said Vexplosive being of such a sensitivity asto require abrasion to explode tit, and abrasive means ,stationary in respect'to each other except up-z l on breakingof said container.y f n l2. A container forexplosivefmaterial for a to tor edo havin "integral interior. abrafil g s l sive surfaces spaced apart. p

13. A safety toy torpedo comprising a con-- tainer and an explosive therein, saidl explosive being of such a. sensitivity as 4torequire friction to explode it, and friction producing means separated from eachother f by. frangible means, except upon breaking of said container.

lll.y A container for explosive material forv a. toy torpedo having explosive material between said surfaces.

l5. In aftoy torpedo adapted to be ex' ploded by impact, in combination aV container of frangible material having a recess, explosive material in said recess, 'the walls of said vrecess 'being opposingV and closely .adjacent `whereby upon'fracture of said container said walls will move toward each other to detonate the explosive.

16. I ploded by impact, tainer of frangible explosive material in. combination a conmaterial having a recess, in said recess,

safety v.toy torpedoV comprising-rfa. l

detonatingrgaid explosive only of 'portions`A of said con?,

n a ltoy torpedo adapted to be ex.`

stationary interior co- .operative friction surfaces spacedapart,iand

ico

the walls of said-recess being opposing and closely adjacent whereby upon fracture of said container. said walls-Will move toward andl contact vwith each othery to detonat-e'the explos-` ive, and an enclosing envelope of A lflexible material surrounding said container. Y

17. In a toy tainer of frangible material having a recess therein, explosive material in said recess, the

upon fracture "of said container will move toward and contact with `each torpedo adapted to be Y ex- Vploded by impact, in combination, acon-' iis other-,to detonate said explosive by abrasion. i

18. In a toy ploded by impact, taiiier of frangible material, an explosive enclosed therein and aiiexible covering enclosing said container. f 19. In a toy torpedo adapted. to be explodedV by impact, in combination a container of frangible material, an explosive confined therein anda flexible covering en- Y adhering thereto. 20. In a toy, torpedo adapted to be extorpedo adaptedto be ex-y in combination, a .con-` 'tainer of rangible Yexplosive container ploded by impact, in combinationa con- I materiaL-fan explosive en closed therein and a flexible Waterproof covering enclosing saideontainer.

21. In a toyV torpedo adapted to b-e exploded byv impact, in combination a container of rangiblematerial, an explosive confined therein anda flexible 'Waterproof covering enclosing saidcontainer and adhering thereto. l y

22. In a toy torpedo, in combination an comprising relatively heavy sections joined together by frangible means and an explosive compound between said sections and adaptedto be `exploded by friction between said parts resulting` from impacting said torpedo to break said 'frangible means.. i I

23. In a toy torpedo7 in` combination an 20 explosive container .comprising relatively heavy sections joined together b v lrangible clOSed'therein, and a ing enclosing said container,y and adhering means and an explosive compound between said sections and adapted to be exploded by 'friction .between said parts resulting from .impacting said torpedoito break said i'rang1- b1e';1neans,'and. a llexible covering for said container.y v f n Q'eln al toy torpedo. adapted, to be exploded byimpact, in combination a c ontainer comprising bitumen, an explosive en flexible, gastight coverthereto. i i

-25."A container' for explosive for a toy torpedo, comprising airangible mass having a. narrow open ended recess therein adaptedvto contain explosive, said recess being enlarged .at its open end to aid in loading said container with said explosive.

In testnnony whereof ,l hereuntoA allix my signature. ,Y Y

KOBY KOI-IN. 

